Ansar | Film
Marking 40 years since the establishment of the Ansar POW camp, the film tells the story of the first and last prisoner-of-war camp set up by Israel in Lebanon. The film lifts the veil of secrecy, revealing what truly happened in the camp. Dramatic testimonies from both soldiers and Palestinian detainees who were held there are being uncovered for the first time, alongside rare video footage and never-before-seen still photographs. The legacy of the camp continues to haunt those who were there, influencing the Middle East until its closure in 1985, with the IDF's withdrawal to the security zone.
Press
Ansar is a critical film. Its creators question the establishment of the camp, its operation, and the inappropriate acts that took place within its fences
Back to Ansar: The film about Operation Peace for Galilee holds great importance
The multiplicity of perspectives that makes it an important document
A Thin White Line | Book
The tension, anxiety, danger, and sense of uncertainty hovered over and enveloped the Ansar POW camp in southern Lebanon every day and night throughout its three-year existence, as recounted by those who were there on both sides.
The book provides an extensive account of the dozens of testimonies, reports, articles, photos, and documents I have collected—some of which are revealed here for the first time. During my research into the history of the Ansar camp, I also uncovered the story of the special detention facility 'Ansarit', established by the IDF near Nabatieh, a city in southern Lebanon, for women suspected of terrorist activity. This facility was not known to the Israeli public at the time, and its story is detailed comprehensively in the book. This is a lesser-known piece of military history and the collective memory of the First Lebanon War and the State of Israel.
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"Israeli governments throughout the years have preferred not to mention the First Lebanon War. Why should we even bother with Ansar? It's better to forget about it."
[From A Thin White Line]
"Dotan Nave's book, Ansar – A Thin White Line, presents a captivating story—historical and military, but above all personal and human—of people finding themselves on both sides of the fence. Its greatness lies in the ability to vividly and authentically convey testimonies and stories from both sides of the conflict, coming together to form a clear, albeit grim, picture of the impossible reality that war brings.
A must-read for anyone who wishes to learn about what happened in Lebanon and, inevitably, what happened to us and to those Lebanese and Palestinian prisoners in the Ansar camp"
[Prof. Eyal Zisser is a lecturer in the Department of Middle Eastern History and the Vice Rector of Tel Aviv University.]
"I purchased your fascinating and impressive book at Tzomet Sfarim and read it with great enthusiasm. I also watched the film that aired on Kan 11. I thoroughly enjoyed both of your works, which took me back in time to my military service in the early '90s."
[Recommendation from Shmuel, Intelligence Officer]
"From the event of the Ansar camp, the way Dotan portrays it in his book, and the excellent film he directed, important lessons can be learned. The Ansar camp is an example of how past events can resurface—in Lebanon and other places. I sincerely hope that those who need to learn these lessons and insights are doing so."
[Recommendation from Col. (Res.) Sami Barak Mutsafi, former governor of Sidon and commander of Unit 504]